The key ingredients of a perfect kitchen | AD

Thinking of renovating your kitchen? Here are just a few key ingredients to consider when creating the ultimate kitchen.

Keep it timeless

Whist some décor trends come and go, others remain timeless. Choosing these timeless décor trends will ensure that your kitchen never goes out of style and maintains its value. When in doubt stick to neutral colours (white will never go out of style) and stay minimal (wild patterns and too much clutter could make your kitchen look kitsch). Wood is a timeless material – try shopping at sites such as George Hill Timber for countertops and flooring. Quartz is also a reliable worktop material for those craving some stone in their kitchen.

Stay spacious

Nobody likes a cramped kitchen. If you’ve got a poky kitchen, consider a way of extending it out to add more space. You may be able to extend your kitchen into another room by knocking down an interior wall and going open plan, or you may prefer to extend outwards. Lots of floor space can allow multiple people to use the kitchen at once, whilst lots of countertop space can make food preparation easier and offer more room for countertop appliances. Also consider your storage space – if you struggle to squeeze in all your bowls and plates, consider adding new cabinets or adding shelves.

Go green

Energy-efficiency can save you money in bills and save the planet. There are lots of ways to make a kitchen energy-efficient such as choosing low energy appliances and opting for LEDs over regular bulbs. Sites such as Green Choices specialise in supplying green kitchen appliances. Old appliances tend to be more power-hungry – if you’ve got an oven or refrigerator that’s over fifteen years old, consider investing in an upgrade to help save money on your energy bills.

Think easy-clean

An easy-clean kitchen can help to save you time. Consider materials that are easy to wipe food debris off of. When it comes to countertops, choose materials that have been sealed such as laminated timber or sealed stone. When it comes to walls, consider adding tiles or a glass splashback to make wiping down these surfaces easier. Investing in a dishwasher could also help to make washing up easier. Meanwhile, a pull down tap can make cleaning the sink easier whilst also allowing you to clean pots and pans more easily.

Make it bright

A well-lit environment is important for cooking in. There are many ways to maximise lighting such as installing spot lighting or track lighting to help illuminate every corner of the room or alternatively adding a skylight to help fill the room with natural light. Reflective surfaces and bright colours can help to reflect light too - if your kitchen contains lots of dark unfinished woods you may want to consider replacing these with lighter laminated woods or white gloss woods.